- Jan 1 FCC implements "SYNDEX" giving independent stations more rights over cable TV outlets for exclusive syndicated programs
- Jan 1 Sports News Network begins operation on cable TV
47th Golden Globes
Jan 20 47th Golden Globes: "Born on the Fourth of July", Tom Cruise and Michelle Pfeiffer win
- Jan 27 6th Sundance Film Festival: "Chameleon Street" wins Grand Jury Prize Dramatic
- Feb 5 Notre Dame becomes 1st team to sell its game to a major network (NBC)
- Feb 8 "60 Minutes" commentator Andy Rooney suspended by CBS for racial remarks attributed to him by a gay magazine
- Feb 9 "Bradys" return to TV for 6 episodes on CBS TV
- Feb 9 40th Berlin International Film Festival: "Music Box" and "Larks on a String" win the Golden Bear (tie)
- Feb 10 6th Largest wrestling crowd (63,900-Tokyo Dome)
Music Concert
Feb 12 Rock for the Rainforest benefit concert held in Beverly Hills, California; performers include: Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Herbie Hancock, Paul Simon, Don Henley, and Bruce Hornsby
Grammy Awards
Feb 21 "The Batman Theme" by Danny Elfman wins Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition at 32nd Annual Grammy Awards
Music History
Feb 25 On a BBC taped interview, rock star Stevie Nicks breaks down, saying that she will never have children & no man can stand her for long
People's Choice Awards
Mar 11 16th People's Choice Awards: Dustin Hoffman & Meryl Streep win (Dramatic Motion Picture) and Bill Cosby & Phylicia Rashad win (TV)
Soul Train Music Awards
Mar 14 4th Soul Train Music Awards: Soul II Soul, Janet Jackson win
- Mar 21 "Normal Life" starring Max Gail, Moon Unit & Dweezil Zappa premieres on CBS-TV
Sydney
Mar 21 TV sitcom "Sydney" starring Valerie Bertinelli, Matthew Perry and Craig Bierko premieres on CBS-TV
- Mar 25 10th Golden Raspberry Awards: Star Trek V wins
Academy Awards
Mar 26 62nd Academy Awards: "Driving Miss Daisy", Daniel Day-Lewis, Jessica Tandy win
Academy Awards
Mar 26 Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa wins the Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement
Carol & Company
Mar 31 "Carol & Company" starring Carol Burnett premieres on NBC-TV
- Apr 1 "Ha!" comedy Channel on cable TV begins transmitting
WrestleMania
Apr 1 WrestleMania VI, Skydome, Toronto, ON (67,678): Ultimate Warrior beats Hulk Hogan for WWF Heavyweight and Intercontinental titles
Film & TV History
Apr 5 Paul Newman wins a court victory over Julius Gold, to keep giving all profits from Newman foods to charity
Twin Peaks
Apr 8 "Twin Peaks" created by David Lynch and starring Kyle MacLachlan premieres on ABC-TV
- Apr 9 "Capital News" starring Lloyd Bridges premieres on ABC-TV
TV Show Appearance
Apr 12 Anime TV series "Moomin", based on Moomin children's books by Tove Jansson 1st appears on Tokyo TV
- Apr 15 Sketch comedy TV series "In Living Color" premieres on FOX-TV
The Piano Lesson
Apr 16 August Wilson's play "The Piano Lesson", starring Charles S. Dutton, opens at Walter Kerr Theater NYC for 320 performances
Film & TV History
Apr 19 Marla Maples appears on ABC's Prime-Time
- Apr 21 "Cartoon All Stars to Rescue" shown on all 4 TV networks
- Apr 25 Hong Kong actress Carina Lau is abducted by Triad members
- May 2 Richard Nelson's stage comedy "Some Americans Abroad" opens at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre, NYC; runs for 55 performances
- May 6 Tom Cruise is ticketed for careless operation of a vehicle in South Carolina
Radio History
May 10 Howard Stern holds a mock funeral for radio rival John DeBella, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to celebrate a ratings victory
Music History
May 12 Nora Dunn and Sinéad O'Connor boycott "Saturday Night Live" to protest Andrew Dice Clay's hosting which was perceived as sexist; the show uses a time delay for the third time in its history
- May 15 Mona Grudt, 19, of Norway, crowned 39th Miss Universe
Film & TV History
May 17 "Cheers" star Kelsey Grammer sentenced to jail for 30 days for DWI
- May 18 TV movie "Return To Green Acres" airs
Television Finale
May 19 "Elvis" TV drama series about early life of Elvis Presley last airs on ABC
Cannes Film Festival
May 21 43rd Cannes Film Festival: "Wild at Heart" directed by David Lynch starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern wins the Palme d'Or
Music History
Jun 11 UN appoints British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John as environmental ambassador
- Jun 14 Date of the events in the movie Mr Destiny
Dick Tracy
Jun 15 Film "Dick Tracy" with Warren Beatty & Madonna premieres
Music History
Jun 21 Little Richard [Penniman] gets a star on Hollywood's Walk Of Fame
Film & TV History
Jun 22 Adam Sandler joins "Saturday Night Live"
TV Personality of Year
Jun 23 TV Guide selects Arsenio Hall as TV personality of year
- Jun 25 "Dave Thomas Comedy Show" last airs on CBS-TV
- Jun 25 NBC decides to air episodes of "Quantum Leap" for 5 straight days
Daytime Emmy Awards
Jun 28 Emmy 17th Daytime Award presentation - Susan Lucci loses for 11th time
- Jun 29 Marla Maples father sues National Enquirer for $12M
Jetsons the Movie
Jul 6 "Jetsons the Movie" by Hanna-Barbera with Tiffany Darwish, premieres
- Jul 10 Andrew Dice Clay cries on Arsenio Hall Show
- Jul 16 Bridgette LeAnn Wilson, 17, of Oregon, 8th crowned Miss Teen USA
- Jul 16 Rick Dee's "Into the Night" premieres on ABC-TV
Sports History
Jul 25 Roseanne Barr sings the National Anthem at Cincinnati Reds-San Diego Padres MLB game
Film & TV History
Jul 27 Zsa Zsa Gabor begins a 3 day jail sentence for slapping a police officer in Beverly Hills
- Aug 2 23rd San Diego Comic-Con International opens at Holiday Inn
Exorcist 3
Aug 17 "Exorcist 3" film written and directed by William Peter Blatty, premieres
- Aug 27 WWF Summer Slam-Ultimate Warrior beats Rick Rude
Jerome Robbins' Broadway
Sep 1 "Jerome Robbins' Broadway" closes at Imperial theater, NYC. after 634 performances
Telethon
Sep 3 Jerry Lewis' 25th Muscular Dystrophy telethon raises $44,172,186
Venice Film Festival
Sep 4 47th Venice Film Festival: "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead" directed by Tom Stoppard wins the Golden Lion
- Sep 7 Marjorie Judith Vincent (Ill), 25, crowned 64th Miss America 1991
Goodfellas
Sep 19 American gangster film "Goodfellas", directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Ray Liotta, premieres
- Sep 23 PBS begins an 11 hour miniseries on Civil War
Music History
Sep 28 Marvin Gaye gets a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame
Beverly Hills, 90210
Oct 4 US premiere of Fox TV's "Beverly Hills, 90210" created by Darren Star and starring Luke Perry, Jason Priestley and Shannen Doherty
- Oct 5 "Henry and June" film, based on the book by Anaïs Nin, first film to be given an NC-17 rating in the US, released
Music History
Oct 17 "Jackie Mason - Brand New" opens at Neil Simon Theater, NYC; runs for 216 performances
Dances with Wolves
Oct 19 "Dances with Wolves" directed by Kevin Costner and starring Kevin Costner and Mary McDonnell premieres in Washington, D.C. (Academy Awards Best Picture 1991)
Film & TV History
Oct 30 George Michael releases single "Freedom 90" with a music video starring supermodels Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington, and Cindy Crawford
- Nov 6 Arsenio Hall gets a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame
- Nov 8 Gina Marie Tolleson of USA, 21, crowned 40th Miss World
- Nov 8 John Guare's stage drama "6 Degrees of Separation" starring Stockard Channing and Courtney B. Vance, opens at Vivian Beaumont Theatre, NYC; runs for 485 performances and a Tony Award
Home Alone
Nov 10 John Hughes' film "Home Alone" directed by Chris Columbus and starring Macaulay Culkin premieres in Chicago
- Nov 26 1st Billboard Music Awards: M.C. Hammer & Janet Jackson win
- Nov 29 Paul Chihara and John Driver's musical "Shogun - The Musical", based on James Clavell's novel, opens at Marquis Theater, NYC; runs for 72 performances
Burt Lancaster
Nov 30 American actor Burt Lancaster suffers a stroke
Turner, Fonda Engaged
Dec 7 Ted Turner & Jane Fonda announce their engagement
"The Godfather Part III"
Dec 25 "The Godfather Part III" directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Al Pacino, Diane Keaton and Andy Garcia premieres
- Dec 31 Sci-Fi Channel on cable TV begins transmitting
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